Grenade adapter



July 15, 1947. C. PANTER Erm., 2,423,993

GRENADE ADAPTER Filed Feb. 8. 1945 2 sheets-sheet 1 g mi 1 July15,1947. C PANTER'ET AL 2,423,993

GRENADE ADAPTER Filed Feb. 8, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 rvufZ/YVCOM' 46PE1LL1L- Christal-15en-WalkerWI-Iclller Earl Panter Joseph H E1 arden Patented July 15, 1947 GRENADE ADAPTER CarlPanter and Joseph H. Borden, Philadelphia, Pa., and Paul L. Christensen and Walker W. Holler, Washington, D. vC.

Application February 8, 1945, Serial No. 576,830

(Cl. hb2-65.2)

.12Claims. l

This invention relates to means for adapting hand grenades to launching from small arms such as the Carbine and rifle.

It has for an object to enable the use in a launcher of grenades in which a hammerreleasing lever is held against operation by a safety pin until the time of use, land whereinl ordinarily, when about .to be manually thrown, the pin is Withdrawn and the lever held depressed by the hand in which the grenade is grasped for tossing.

It is particularly dangerous to vary the order of procedure in thearming and projecting vof these explosives because Vof the extreme liability of accident with certainty of serious casualties in each instance, andthereiore it is a paramount purpose ,of the invention to enable a procedure in which there is a minimum possibility of mistake by which a premature explosion Y,of fthe grenade may be caused when launched from a firearm. I

In a conventional hand grenade largely used the safety lever extendsbesidethe spheroidal fragmentation body` of the missile in the direction of its major axis, theminor circumference grenade so that a substantialicomponent of forceV is manifest actingtoward the adjacent endof the grenade. The lever in this grenade isV formed of a blank of thin sheet metal Yvvith..al'iooked Vend engaging a rounded fulcrum lip on the vbody of the fuseopposite the striker, and extends across theend of the grenade and then longitudinally inward -beside the grenade at anoblique angle to Vthe axis for a distance, lying .over and against the striker to restrain firing movement of the latter.

The lever has earsat. the sides beside the fuse apertured with the .fuse body to receive the safety pin, hy 'Which the lever is secured against pivotal movement, .and also against translative movement in any direction.

While it is generally intended that the VVfiring movement of the lever over a large part ofV its initial movement shall be pivotal, with thellip as the axis (after which the lever becomes freed ,and is thrown ,off ,'by therstriker), andwhilegthe" lever does so function initially,the extent of this pivotal movement before the lever is freed'` varies vproperly handled. Lllihile thisfault is contributed Ato in a small degree by variations fromr standard proportions -and v"shapes in manufacture, vit is mainly possible because of the fact` that the diagonal direction `of [the hook billand longitudinal component of force of the striker causes the base portion Yof theA lever beside the fuse body opposite the hook tomove longitudinally of the grenade togsvome extent yand away from the full engaged position Withthe lip ofthe fuse. body. 4Vilfiile the safety pin is engaged., and after withdrawal 0f the, pin, the pressurel exerted on the bodyofthe lever bythe grasp .of the usertends to prevent such movement as might clear the hook from the lip. But; if, looselyheld, the` diagonal direction of .the hook, and a small amount of longitudinal and diagonal translatgive ,movement of the lever which the clearances permit aresuflcient to almost Which maybe. engaged .with conventional grenade .manufacturewith high economy of material by use of sheet metal starnpings i:hrc'iughout..

A. further purpose is to simplify the procedure in applyingthe adapter to the grenade sothat the soldier may effect the assembly Without special linowledga: training, or need of tools', but as an entirely manualroperartion. VIt is alsov an aim to enable the ready control of range of the grenade when launched from a rie or carbin'e.

Also,'it. is sought to avoid impairment ofthe vfunctioning of the fu-seand explosive or the fragmentation of the body as customarily manifested. .Additional objects,Y advantages, and features Voff-the invention reside inthe construction,` arl Vt l eficaces rangement, combination of parts and methods of procedure in manufacture and in use, of the invention, as will appear or be understood from the following description and accompanying drawings wherein:

Figures 1 and 2 are full size side elevations of the invention, applied to a standard hand gre,- nade, the safety pin being withdrawn in Fig. 2 and the clip indicated in course of setback movem ment (the tube omitted) Y Figure 3 is a top view of Fig. 1;

Figure 4 is an elevation of the adapter alone;

Figures 5 and 6 are cross sections on lines 5 and 8 of Fig. 4; f

Figure 'l is a view of ringer 33 from the inner side with a part broken away and the clip sleeve in section;

Figures 8 and 9 are views on the lines 8 and 9 of Fig. '7;

Figure l is a fragmentary elevation of a launcher with my adapter applied;

Figure 1l is a section on the line I I-I I of Fig. l0, enlarged.

Referring to the drawings more particularly, there is illustrated a well known hand grenade comprising a cast iron .shell body Ill, oval in longitudinalV section and circular in cross section, formed with one flat end II normal to the major axis, and at the other extremity a conical neck I2' to receive the fuse body I2 screwed thereinto. The body IEI is externally formed with a series of circumscribing grooves I3 and longitudinal grooves I3 of wider spacing. These grooves are all substantially V-shaped in cross section, so that while comparatively wide at the extreme peripherical surfaces of the grenade the groove sidesextend into the intersection of two sets of grooves so that they are nearly continuous across the bottoms of the intersections. Four-sided fragmentation blocks lli are thus formed between the grooves. The fuse body hasan outer planiform end face Ia normal to the longitudinal axis of the fuse, and a projecting lip I5 at one side having a rounded outer edge which is substantially semicylindrical with its axis parallel to the end face of the fuse and spaced laterally outward from the underlying side surface of the fuse. At the side of the body I2 opposite the lip there are cheek extensions IB, providing a recess in which the striker ll is pivoted on a cross pin near'the end of the fuse body and normally lying in the lower part of the recess spring loaded to swing laterally, longitudinally outward, Vand inwardly to engage the primer, as is well known in these devices. The safety lever I8 by which the striker is held in the normal position mentioned has a hanged flat top plate I9 which lies normally at against the outer planiform end face of the fuse body and has a hook 29, of a form similar to that of the rounded edgeV of the lip I5 but of greater radius, and positioned so that it may t loosely around and slightly spaced from the lip, especially at the extremity of the hook, where a maximum clearance is manifest, although the bill of the hook, due to its greater radius still extends under the lip to some extent when the lever is secured by the safety pin. The lever proper extends at an oblique angle from the plate I-9, being curved inward in spaced relation to the grenade body Ill, and has ears 2l at its base extending inwardly beside the cheeks I5, receiving therethrough the safety pin 22 on which the pull ring 23 is swivelled.

My adapter comprises a stabilizer or tail tube 25 of a diameter approximately the same as that 4 of the hat end of the grenade body and has a thin cylindrical tail fin 26 supported therearound by three spoke webs 21, the fin being of suitable diameter and length to act as a steering n for the grenade when launched. A closing head piece 28 is litted and welded within the forward end of the tube, and across this end a tie washer 29 is concentrically arranged, having four slots 30 therein at the perimeter of the tube normal to quadriradiates of the tube axis. Four longitudinally arranged leaf spring fingers 32 are engaged through respective slots 3u, having their base ends 3| laid flat and secured against the side of the tube by riveting or otherwise. Three of these ngers'32 are of Va length to extend slightly beyond the groove I3 at or nearest the middle of the shell body, while the fourth finger 33 is ex tended further so as to lie near the base of the neck I2. The ngers are all extended divergently a distance above the washer 2&3, so as to receive freely the flat end I I of the shell body against the washer 29, when the grenade is thrust within the fingers. All four fingers are curved inward at outer parts as far as the plane of the mid groove I3 of the grenade as the grenade sets against the washer. VHere they are bent abruptly inward as at 3L; at an angle greater than the angle formed by the sides of the grooves I3 with the extreme peripheral surfaces of the grenade body at the tops of the blocks i4, and then abruptly bent out-- ward at 35 constituting claws with outer sides to extend at an acute angle to the extreme peripheral surface of the engaged grenade, forming wipers or cams 33. The angle formed by the major parts of the sides of the grooves I3 is something less than degrees. The wiper parts 36 are extended a distance both radially and longitudinally greater than the corresponding measurements of the parts between the bends 34 and 35, and the three fingers 32 terminate at the extremities of the wipers 35. The material of the fourth finger is continued rectilinearly a distance at an oblique angle inward from the respective wiper 36, substantially as indicated in Figs. fi and 1, forming a clip mounting arm 31. This arm extends such distance so as to lie closely under the lever I8 when a grenade is in engaged position in the adapter.

The end portion of the arm 31 is apertured near its extremity and an indentation or notch 38 pressedl in the extremity ofthe arm, extending longitudinally inward a short distance toward the aperture. 'An arming clip retainer 33 is riveted at the extremity of the arm 3l, being formed of stripY spring material of 19 gauge stock of the same width as, but more brittle than ther stock used in the fingers. Its riveted end portion is offset and apertured to receive a rivet 40 engaged in the aperture of the arm 31, securing the retainer to the arm 31. The end of the retainer is also indented at il so that the nib thus formed on the underside will engage and lock in the indentation 33 and hold the two rigidly in alinement.

At the extremity of the clip retainer a very narrow tongue 42 is formed extending inward sharply at right angles, and around the retainer there is a clip sleeve 63 of heavier gauge metal than the strip for the ngers, 'rectangular and oblong in cross section. rEhe retainer 39 has a dimple forming a tit 44 projecting at the inner side toward the arm 3l sothat when the retainer 39 and the lever I8 are engaged together through the sleeve the sleeve is pressed inward toward the lever, holding the sleeve against the outerside of the lever. The

YLasaaces tongue-242. projects from the body et the retainer to a length .slightly more@ thantl-'ie`-` minor interior `strip stocklis also Agreaterthanw tlnsminor dimensi'o'msovthat the clip sleeve can not berturned .aro-und the retainer suiciently to aline. the tongue `n'iuel'rgreater than the width of the fingers. The

-len'gth'ofthegsleeve' is slightly less than the distancebetween thetitlbl .and the tongue '42',:and the: material: of which it is formed is suiiciently thicktto involve .a mass in thesleeve' surcient to causefitto overcome the friction between itself andthe lever andretain'er .and to also break or bend'4 vthe tongueJilZ, by setbackv when the .adapter A:andgrenade arepropelled from a riile or Carbine equippedlwith conventional launcher as shown in Patents No.;2,339,285 and 2,335,299 to W. T. Moore. Insassembly the clipi sleeve is slipped on the retainer 39 before the latter is riveted to the arm :31.and then ,the retainersecured in place, the registered notch .andv indentation 38V and d' keeping the partsSI and 39 in alinement.

The-interior dimension of the tube 25 is the .same 4'as that of the tailV tubesl of riiie grenades Aand the like. The launcher for such grenades consists, asisr well known, of a tubular piston-like attachment for the end vof the riiie, adapted to fit slidinglygin the'tail tubev 25, so that when a car- Vtllgeof suitable propellant explosive is then fired inthe-:weapon `the V.,ga'sespass from the muzzle into the tail tube and are conned thereto by the launcher so Aas to propel the adapter and the ,grenade held therein over a distance much greater than the ranges possible by manual tossing.

In the use of this invention, the adapter being .assembled as described, and the hand grenade `beingiat. hand to be engaged in the adapter, the flatter .is-set erect uponsome horizontal surface while the grenade, without special'adjustment or `n qodiiication, is positioned coaxially over the fingersof the'adapter withvthre flat end l I downwardand thefextremity of the safety lever I 8 entered in the upper end of the clip sleeve, which is then resting on the tongue Gland receives the lever-eend freely. vThe grenade is moved downwardly until` it rests against the claw parts 35 symmetrically, lafter whichsuflicient pressure is applied-to cause the grenade-surfaces to cam the fingers outwardly and` enter therebetween until the 4jaws engage in the middle transverse circumferential groove {3,--atwhich time the end Il will be resting vrupon the washer 29. The jaws will then holdthegrenade firmly in coaxial alinement with Vthe tail tube. No special care is required to prevent the jaws from being alined with longitudinalgrooves on the grenade shell, because the `lowersides ofr all the grooves extend in to the intersections and. aliord proper engaging surfaces for thejaws in case a longitudinal groove wider `at the top than the finger should bealined therewith.

v.Owing zto the more acute angle of the wipers 36 .to thegrenade surfaces, positioning of the grenade is rendered much easier, and due to the `greater angle of the innerparts 34 tothe grenade parts, withdrawal of the grenade is quitediicult. In; practice, for the grenadeof the shape andsize indicated, Vweighing approximately one .and onethird .pounds,..thespringv ngers are 1 adaptedr to oppose-Ja lateral pressure .of in they neighborhood 6 `oro-eight pounds` each inv maximum-flexurefin course ofi engagement'v onthefgrenade shell; and :the tongueJZis-adapted to break ata, pressurei of fifteen poundsmo're or less, usingal clip sleeve having a weightof approximately .03 pound.

.Thel grenade being fully' eng-aged. as described, the clip' lis v.moved upward around the dentl 1M, after which the safety pin 22. maybe withdrawn by grasping and pulling thev ring .23.. This-allows alpartial-.movement ofthe lever l'8 lby the out- Awardthrustfof thestrikeril, to theposition shown in Fig-2, atwhich thelever is somewhat more-firmly held-against-slippage in the clip and the pressurel ofthe Ystriker on the base vof the leverdraws the hook- 20 more snuglyA around and inwardlyragainst the lip f5.

The adapter and engaged grenade` now-as a unit constitute a `projectile y ready for launching. `Ariile or Carbine having Ya' vlauncher attached and in readiness vother-wise, -a propellant l'cartridge is placed in the chamber of the arm and the adapter Withthe armed grenade engaged therewithis placed by sliding the tail sleeve 25 longitudinally inward on the launcher. y'Ihe'ire` arm being cocked and its butt set upon the ground, it is aimed and the trigger pulled to fire the propellant cartridge. The impulse thus -imparted to the adapter and grenade moves them forward so rapidly that the inertia of the clip `sleeve .overcomes the friction between the sleeve and the dent 411 and lever and causes Yit to :move rearwardly on the'two'withsnch force thatwhen itstrikes' the tongue d'2, the latter is broken and the sleeve clears the retainerandrv lever, permitting the latter to be thrown 01T by theistriker in the manner well understood in such devices. .The projectile has inthe meantimel beenl moving to- -ward its target but the striker lires the percus'- siong-primer and ignites the fuse train beforeY the .projectile has moved more than a few feet so thatthe bursting charge will be ignited effectively.

The tail iinl in thisA instance is 'assembled in a novell construction, consisting ofvthree rectangular elongated blanks l115, with one end portion bent to substantially `Z-shape, and one arm "46 greatly *elongated and curved to the arc required. The-shortarms l? of the blank are welded against the base Yend of the tube, with the long arms @46 all lextending in the same direction, their extremities lapping and welded to thebases of the .adjacent arms which are inset to Aallow the extremities to setiiush with the outer faces of the remainder of the curved parts 136 which now form ,acomplete cylinder. 'Ihe connecting portions between the arms in eachof the blanks thus -i'orm spoke webs arranged radially as part of the fin.

-Three spring fingers instead of four as shown maybe used on the adapter, in which case two would be short,v corresponding to the ones 32,- and .thel thirdwould be as shown and described at-.33.

As well known, the tubular piston fitting for rifles and carbines which constitutes the common launcher, has a plurality of circurnscribing groovesand alternate lands of uniform external diameter, the tail tube being of a diameter and length to fit closely and slidingly around these lands to -a full depth when the end of the piston engages the head-28. The latter position is proportionate to the maximum range desired with astandardY propellant cartridge. used in the rifle or. carbine. Inv order. toY shorten the' range, the tail tube is engaged less than its full -depth'on the launcher, and in order to check such application of the tube and prevent the tube from slipping further on to the launcher when the latter is elevated with the rifle for firing, we provide a positioning clip 50, which is a bifurcated spring with bowed arms I having divergent extremities 52 and an eye 53 at the junction of the arms. It is adapted to be presented with the ends 52 advanced endwise against the side of the launcher adjacent a groove or land, representing the range Value required, and pushed transversely on to the launcher so as to embrace the latter and hold itself in place thereon. When the tail tube is applied to the launcher thereafter the clip 5! checks entrance of the piston at the proper depthY to give the required range Vwith a correlated propellant cartridge.

In practice the fingers are made of steel tempered to a degree to function satisfactorily as indicated, but the retainer 39, also of steel is tempered to a very brittle state so that the tongue 42 will be highly frangible and will break off rather than bend appreoiably under the required setback force developed in the clip 43, a Rockwell C hardness of 60 to 64 being developeddn the spring ngers a Rockwell C hardness of 50 to 54 has been used.

Other modifications and expedients are also possible within the scope of the invention includin-g substitution of materials and equivalents, mechanical or otherwise the present disclosure being purely exemplary although it represents meticulously the best embodiment of the invention as yet developed.

We claim:

l. A launcher adapter for a hand grenade having a safety lever, comprising a receptacle adapted to receive the grenade and its safety lever, said receptacle having a tail tube for engagement with a grenadelauncher and a plurality of spring fingers extended longitudinally at one end of the tube and shaped to lie close beside and clasp the inserted grenade, a safety lever engaging clip attached to one of said fingers, a part movably mounted on the clip and adapted to engage the grenade safety lever to confine the same in a safe position, said part being movable relative to the clip to clear and thereby release the safety lever under set back upon propulsion of the receptacle with the grenade thereon, said part being responsive to the launching action of the grenade adapter launcher to become disengaged from the clip to release the 1ever.

2. A launcher adapter for hand grenades having a laterally movable safety lever, comprising a receptacle adapted to receive the grenade and its safety lever, a sleeve part slidably mounted on the receptacle and adapted to engage the safety lever to confine the same in a safe position, said sleeve part being movable on said receptacle to clear and thereby release the lever under setback on propulsion of the receptacle with the grenade advanced thereon, said receptacle having a tail tube for engagement with grenade launchers and a plurality of spring ngers extended longitudinally'at one end of the tube and shaped to lie close besidev and clasp an inserted grenade, said fingers having inturned claws, one of said fingers being extended beyond said claws thereon and having the sliding sleeve part thereon adapted lto receive and disengage slidingly the laterally movable safety lever of the inserted grenade, and responsive by setback to disengage the lever.

3. A launcher adapter for hand grenades having a laterally movable safety lever, comprising a receptacle adapted to receive the grenade and its safety lever, a sleeve part slidably mounted on the receptacle and adapted to engage the safety lever to confine the same in a, safe position, said sleeve part being movable on said receptacle to clear and thereby release the lever under setback on propulsion of the receptacle with the grenade advanced thereon, said receptacle having a tail tube for engagement withI grenade launchers and a plurality of spring fingers extended longitudinally at one end of the tube and shaped to lie close beside and clasp an inserted grenade, said fingers having inturned claws, one of said fingers being extended beyond said-claws thereon and having the sliding sleeve part thereon adapted to receive and disengage slidingly the laterally movable safety lever of the inserted grenade, and responsive by setback to disengage the lever, and a tongue on the finger projected across the path of the sleeve in disengaging movement, yieldable to a predetermined force.

'4. An adapter for launching a hand grenade having a restrainable safety lever extending therebeside normally tending to move to operating position, comprising a cup-like grenade-receiving device having a tail tube and fins and spring grasping devices to engage and retain a grenade, and a safety lever holding means movable on one of said spring grasping devices and responsive to setback to release the lever.

5. A grenade launching mount for a hand grenade having a, lateral longitudinal striker-restraining lever, comprising a finned, headed tail tube, forwardly and longitudinally extended symmetrically arranged grenade-grasping spring fingers on the forward end of the tube, a rearwardly extended offset clip support on the forward part of one nger and having a lateral tongue yieldable to a predetermined pressure, a sleeve longitudinally slidable thereon having an interior diameter less than the length of the tongue and adapted tdreceive slidingly the safety lever of a grenade within the fingers, said sleeve having a mass capable of manifesting pressure in excess of said predetermined pressure under setback when the mount and engaged grenade are fired from a launcher.

6. Inv a launcher adapted for a fragmentation grenade having a circular shell body with a plurality of circumscribing grooves therein, a holding and stabilizing device comprising a forwardly headed rearwardly finned tubular tail piece, a plurality of forwardly projected spring fingers on Vthe tail piece spaced radially at their bases to receive a grenade against the head of the tail piece said fingers being initially spaced at their extremities less than the medial diameter of the grenade and having claw elements thereon spaced from the tail piece to engage one of said grooves of the grenade, one of said fingers having mounted thereon a rearwardly extended arm having a lateral tongue yieldable to a predetermined pressure, a sleeve slidable thereon adapted to receive slidably therethrlough the longitudinal safety lever of an engaged grenade, said sleeve being of a mass sufficient to exert by setback said predetermined pressure against said tongue and movable then from said arm to release the lever.

7. In a launcher adapted for a fragmentation grenade having a circular shell body with' a, plurality of circumscribing grooves therein, a holding and stabilizing device comprising a forwardly headed rearwardly iinned tubular tail piece, a plurality of forwardly projected spring ngers on the tail piece spaced radially at their bases to receive a grenade against the head of the tail piece said lingers being internally spaced at their extremities less than the medial diameter of the grenade and having claw elements thereon spaced from the tail piece to engage one of said grooves of the grenade, one of said ngers having mounted thereon a rigid rearwardly extended arm, "a sleeve slidably thereon to clear the arm and adapted to receive slidably therein the longitudinal extended safety lever of a grenade and tending to slide rearwardly from said arm and lever by setback when the adapter and grenade are launched, and releasable means to hold the sleeve in engaged position responsive to predetermined setback force in the sleeve to release the same.

8. The structure of claim in which said clip support is frangible, the ends of the supporting nger and the support being apertured and riveted together and male and female inter-locking parts being formed on the respective abutting end parts.

9. The structure of claim 5 in which said clip support is frangible, the ends of the supporting nger Kand the support being apertured and riveted together and male and female inter-locking parts being formed on the respective abutting end parts, the major rear part of the clip support being offset from the adjacent finger Dart.

10. The structure of claim 5 in which said clip support is frangible, the ends of the supporting finger and the support being apertured and riveted together and male and female inter-locking parts being formed on th'e respective abutting end parts and having e, medial knob on its under side next to nger spaced from said tongue more than the length of said sleeve, whereby When the sleeve is engaged around the knob an inserted safety lever will be clamped against the support by the outer side of the sleeve.

11. The structure 0f claim 5 in which said clip 10 support is provided on its under side next the finger with a knob spaced further from said tongue than the length! of the sleeve whereby when the sleeve is engaged around 'the knob, an inserted safety lever may be clamped against the clip support by the outer side of the sleeve.

12. An adapter for mounting a grenade having a safety lever on a weapon comprising a body, a tail assembly on said body, annular seating means on one end or" said body for receiving a grenade, clamping means on said body extending beyond said seating means for engaging and supporting the grenade, and means on Said clamping means for holding the safety lever of the grenade in the unarmed position, said clamping means and said seating means being interconnected to retain the clamping means in proper alignment.

CARL PANTER.

JOSEPH H. BORDEN.

PAUL L. CHRISTENSEN.

WALKER W. HOLLER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Great Britain Sept. 7, 1917 

